Window regulator



y 1931- J. D. LAWRENCE ET A1. L @5,2W

WINDOW REGULATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 4, 1920 MN 2. wow m fi e NWW 0 Y D N 5 5J y 1931 J. D. LAWRENCE ET AL 1,8@5,217

WINDOW REGULATOR Filed Sept. 4, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FMWLW 35%, W1 WPatented May 12 1931 JOHN D. LAWRENCE STANLEY W. NICHOLSON, OF TOLEDO,OHIO, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE DURA COMPANY, OF TOLEDO,OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO wrnnow REGULATOR Application filed September4, 1920. Serial No. 408,289.

This invention relates to vehicle window control mechanisms and moreparticularly to control mechanisms for automobile windows.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a control mechanismfor a sliding window member comprising a combined actuating and lockingdevice and a counterbalancing device, said devices being formed asdependent units, whereby the assembly of the parts and the installationof said devices in a motor vehicle is facilitated and certain frictionallosses are avoided.

A further object of the invention is to provide a window controllingmeans, particularly applicable to a window employing a vertical slidingwindow member, one edge of which is at least inpart inclined to thevertical, so. that incertain positions of sliding adjustment theinclined edge portion is withdrawn from its slideway. The presentinvention applied to such a window functions to maintain the windowmember pressed into firm engagement with its vertical slideway when theinclined edge portion of said window is free.

lhe invention consists in the structural features and arrangements ofparts hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an exterior side elevation of the forward portion of aclosed vehicle body showing a window of a type to which the inventionhas a special application;

Figure 2 is an interior view of the door in which said window isarranged showing the application to said window of the controlmechanism;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged portion of Figure 2, showing inparticular a bumper or stop member which limits movement of theactuating means;

Figure 4 is an end View of the same;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view of the actuating unit showing thelocking means;

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an enlarged cross section taken through the door in whichthe control window is provided. the plan of section being above thecontrolling mechanism;

Figure 8 is an enlarged inner'side view of the control handle removedfrom the partition with which it is associated.

In these views the reference character 1 designates a vehicle body oftheclosed type, the front 2 of which body inclines to some extentrearwardly from the vertical as it extends upwardly from the level ofthe hood. The forward door 3 of the body 1 has a window opening 4 in itsupper portion and a closure for said opening is formed by a verticallyslidable glass plate 5, which when lowered is adapted to enter a chamber6 formed in the lower portion of said door. The portion 7 of the door,which is adjacent the inclined front 2 of the body 1 is inclined toconform to the front 2 so that the forward margin of the window opening4 is nonvertical. Consequently the edge 8 of the glass 5, which in theclosed position of the window engages the member 7, is similarlyinclined. Therefore, when the window is lowered to any appreciableextent, the edge 8 is withdrawn from engagement with the portion 7 ofthe door. Under these conditions, in order to adequately support theglass 5, it is desir-able to maintain the vertical edge thereof pressedfirmly against the vertical edge of the window opening. This result isaccomplished by the actuating and counterbalancing means which will nowbe described.

9 is a control arm which is disposed within the chamber 6 of the doorand is pivoted at one end upon a bracket member 10, while its other endis provided with a head or roller 11 engaging beneath the glass 5. Saidarm is adapted to he rotatively actuated by a bandle member 12 engagingthe pivotal end of said arm and located adjacent the inner face of thedoor. Preferably engagement of the arm 9 with the glass 5 is effected byarranging the head 11 within a laterally opening channel portion 13 of asheet metal strip extending transversely of the glass 5, and having anupwardly opening channel portion 14, embracing and secured to the loweredge portion of the glass. By rotation of the handle 12, the control arm9 may be shifted to any position intermediate its upper and lowerlimits, the former which is shown in full lines in Figure 2, while thelatter is indicated in dash lines in said figure, and

through such movement of said arm the glass of said arm being pivotedupon a bracket 16 secured to the opposite edge member of the door fromthat which carries the actuating mechanism. An upward edort such as willproperly counterbalance the weight of the slidin glass 5 is exerted uponthe arm 15 by coil ed springs 18 attached to said arm adjacent its pivotand extending upwardly to it) suitable anchorage point within the chamer5. To prevent any shifting of the sliding window member from its desiredposition of adjustment owing to vibration of the vehicle, it isdesirable to provide a locking means whereby the control arm 9 will beheld fixed in any of its positions of adjustment. So

vfar as concerns the present improvement,

' sides of the teeth 22 are reversely positioned I this locking meansmay be of any type. as for example that which is illustrated in Figures5 to 8 inclusive, and which will now be described.

19 designates the pivot, or

in the bracket 10. Said trunnion member is provided with two parallelsockets 20, extending transversely of said arm and arranged one at eachside of the pivotal axis, each socket terminating at one end short ofthe adjacent side of the trunnion, as is shown in Figures 5 and 6. Ineachof the sockets 20, there is mounted a sliding dog 21 provided at itsouter end with a tooth 22 adapted to project into a registering one of aseries of notches 23, formed interiorly of the bracket 10. A. coiledcompression spring 24: is

disposed in the inner portion of each socket and has one end bearingagainst the asso ciated dog 21, to urge the latter outwardly and forcethe tooth 22 of said dog into a registering notch 23. Each tooth 22 isbeveled at one side thereof to permit a turning of the trunnion 19 inone direction relative to the bracket 10 without withdrawing the dogfrom notch engaging position.-The beveled however, with respect to theturning movement of the trunnion 19, so that one tooth normallyrestrains the trunnion from turning in one direction and theother-resists trunnion member of the arm 9 which member is j ournalledturning in the opposite direction. In the present-instance the teeth 22have their inner or adjacent sides beveled.

The swinging movements of the arm 9 and the releasing movements of thedogs 21 upon engagement with notches 23 are actuated by the handlemember 12 mounted to turn freely upon a pivot stud 25 projecting axiallyfrom the trunnion 19. The handle member 12 is retained in loose pivotalengagement with said stud by screw 26, or in any other suitable manner.v

The handle 12 is provided upon one side of its inner end portion with asegmental boss or projection 27, which extends through a registeringsegmental slot 28 in the adjacent end of the trunnion part 19. When thehandle has been roc zed a sufficient distance to place either end of itsboss 27 in contact with the corresponding end wall of the slot 28, a continued rocking movement of the handle will impart a rocking movement inthe same direction to the trunnion part 19 and arm 9. A pin 29 projectsoutwardly from each dog 21 into the respective end portion of the slot28 and in the path of movement of the respective end of the boss 27whereby said boss when rocked in either direction, will act against thepin 29 toward which it is rocked, so as to effect a sufiicient movementof such pin and of the attached dog to withdraw the tooth 22 of said dogfrom notch engaging position prior to engagement of said boss with theend wall of slot 18 which it is approaching. l/Vhen the pin 29 has movedfrom normal position, it enters a registering notch 30 in the respectiveend wall of the slot 28. It is thus evident that a movement of thehandle 12 to elfect swinging of the arm 9 in either direction firsteflects release of the pawl 21 so as to permit the desired swinging ofsaid arm and then positively actuates the desired swinging, the otherdog 21 meanwhile riding freely over the notched interior face of thebracket 10. The handle when released, moves to neutral position undertension of the springs 24 acting against the dogs 21, and thus permitsboth dogs to have looking engagement with the bracket member and tothereby hold the arm 9 in the desired adjustment.

It is to be noted that the counterbalancing arm 15 engages theslidingwindow member in proximity to the edge portion of the latter, which isinclined to the vertical, while the actuating arm in all positions ofadjustment of the mechanism engages the window member at a point moreremote fromthe inclined edge thereof than does the counterbalancing arm.This relation betweenthe points of engagement of the two arms and thewindow member is highly important in maintaining the desired constantengagement of the window member with the vertical edge of the Windowopening. Thus, the arm 9 acts as a fulcrum when the inclined edge of thewindow memon Q) her is disengaged from its slideway, while the thereofand providing a fulcrum for the springs 18 transmit through the arm anupward pressure upon the window member tending to swing the latter onsaid fulcrum into engagement with the vertical edge of the windowopening. Thus, there is maintained a constant engagement of the verticaledge of the Window member with the corresponding edge of the windowopening, so as to afford a maximum support to the upper portion of thewindow member when its inclined portion is free. In order that the arms9 and 15 may cross each other without interference, said arms arearranged to respectively occupy planes at opposite sides of the path oftravel of the glass 5.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. In a window control mechanism, the combination with a member having awindow opening provided with opposed Vertical and inclinededges, avertical slidable closure for said opening, said closure conforming inshape with the window opening and being free from engagement with theinclined edge thereof, except in its substantially closed position,means engaging the lower portion of said closure and providing a fulcrumtherefor when the inclined edge of the closure is disengaged from thecorresponding edge of the opening and means engaging said closureadjacent the inclined edge thereof and laterally outward from saidfulcrum tending to rock said closure on said fulcrum and force the sameat all times against the vertical edge of said opening.

2. In a window control mechanism, the combination with a member having awindow opening provided with opposed vertical and inclined edges, avertical slidable closure for said opening, said closure conforming inshape with the window'opening and being free from engagement with theinclined edge thereof, except in its substantially closed position,means engaging the lower portion of said closure and providing a fulcrumtherefor when the inclined edge of the closure is disengaged from thecorresponding edge of the opening and means engaging said closureadjacent the inclined edge thereof and laterally outward from saidfulcrum tending to rock said closure on said fulcrum and force the sameat all times against the vertical edge of said opening, said lastmentioned means also functioning as a counterbalance for the closure.

3. In a window control mechanism, the combination with a member having awindow opening provided with opposed vertical and inclined edges, avertically slidable closure for said opening, said closure conforming inshape to the window opening and being free from engagement with theinclined edge thereof except in its substantially closed position,operating means for the closure including a member engaging the lowerportion closure when the inclined edge thereof is disengaged from thecorresponding edge of said opening, and means engaging said closureadjacent the inclined edge of the same and laterally outward from saidfulcrum tending to rock said closure thereon and force the same at alltimes against the vertical edge of said opening.

4. In a window control mechanism, the combination with a member having awindow opening provided with opposed vertical and inclined edges, avertically slidable closure for said opening, said closure conforming inshape to the window opening and being free from engagement with theinclined edge thereof except in its substantially closed position,operating means for the closure including a member engaging the lowerportion thereof and providing a fulcrum for the closure when theinclined edge thereof is disengaged from the corresponding edge ofsaidopening, and means engaging said closure adjacent the inclined edge ofthe same and laterally outward from said fulcrum tending to rock saidclosure thereon and force the same at all times against the verticaledge of said opening, said means also functioning as a counterbalancefor said closure.

In testimony whereof we afix our signatures.

JQHN D. LAWRENCE, sraurnr w. nicno son.

